Inside the Design Process

If you're hoping to take on professional logo design projects, you'll need to develop a design process with latitude for creativity and room for multiple rounds of interaction with and feedback from the client.

Remember, you're designing a logo or visual identity that meets the needs of a company and its customersnot to suit your own creative whims! You must be prepared to set up plenty of client meetings, ask lots of intelligent questions, and steel yourself for a few twists and turns as you present your work at each stage along the way.

This section has some thoughts on the logo designer's approach to projects. The design process is typically structured in three steps, for sanity's sake. I'll also offer some insights on getting your projects off the ground.

Figure 7.16. One-of-a-kind product, one-of-a-kind logo. The visual identity for Shawnimals uses off-center typography and an illustration of a handmade stuffed animal to convey the nature of its product.

Figure 7.17. This nicely descriptive Sewing Stars logo also looks handmade, as befits an arts and crafts company.

Three Steps to Success

1.	Expansion and evolution. Got a client? Then get to know the client's business and determine his or her needs. Evolve your design, brainstorming a wide range of possible design solutions. Schedule your project and price it appropriately.
2.	Contraction and definition. Present your visual ideas to the client, and use the client's feedback to narrow options to a few leading designs. Hone the artwork to address such key issues as legibility, simplicity, and typography. Look for a solution that is easy to read, simple enough to grasp at a glance, and supported by appropriate typography.
3.	Finalization and presentation. Present your final designs confidently, and handle client feedback in a professional manner that moves the project forward, not backward. Final changes often occur at this stage. Then make a polished presentation of the final work and give the client art specifications for implementing the design.